Cognitive Dissonance

You know when you are really nervous about something and you try to mentally prepare for the situation?

Cognitive Dissonance: The theory of cognitive dissonance in social psychology proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by altering existing cognitions, adding new ones to create a consistent belief system, or alternatively by reducing the importance of any one of the dissonant elements. A key assumption is that people want their expectations to meet reality, creating a sense of equilibrium. (source)

Or something like that… In my case, I have gone beyond just “mentally” telling myself that the half marathon will go smoothly this weekend.

Side note: I’ve been sick this week (really bad cold/congestion), I had a tough midterm on Tuesday, I am starting an internship tomorrow (!!!), and I have to rush back to school for a basketball game immediately after the half marathon. Not to mention all the other activities planned for the next few days: entertaining Lauren, visiting our grandparents, USC football game, and hopefully writing some of my term paper. The half is putting extra stress on my OCD-mind.

To prepare further for the half, I’ve actually been running a lot this week. Knowing that I can get through a few miles makes 13.1sound less daunting.